Nyssa Police Department Chief Don Ballou delivers a pitch on Tuesday, April 15, during the first annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser in Nyssa. The annual softball game, which fell on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
Nearly 100 people came out Tuesday, April 15, to honor fallen Nyssa Cpl. Joe Johnson for the second annual softball game to raise scholarship money for local students.
The day was the two-year anniversary that Johnson, a reserve police officer with the Nyssa Police Department, was gunned down after being dispatched to a call regarding a violent person, Rene Castro.
Sgt. Steve Wilson with the Nyssa Police Department said the fundraiser brought together around 75 people, including law enforcement and those from the community, to remember Johnson.
Johnson’s widow, Linda, said the event raised $2,000 in scholarship money for Nyssa High School students in the Class of 2027 to enter the criminal justice or mental health fields.
Ahead of Tuesday’s softball game, the Snake River Correctional Institution Honor Guard presented the colors. Following the honor guard, Johnson’s teenage daughter sang the National Anthem.
Linda Johnson said the annual softball game would always be on the anniversary of her husband’s murder.
She said through the fundraiser she and her family can give back to the community. In the years following Johnson’s death, Linda said she has been “amazed” by the community support.
Wilson said the softball represented Johnson’s personality: serious when necessary but also known for his ability to bring humor and lightness to difficult situations.
“He was always the guy cracking jokes and making people laugh,” he said. “But when it was time to take care of business, he took care of business.”
Hundreds of people attended a memorial softball game in Nyssa on Tuesday, April 15, on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of a Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. The second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Hundreds of people attended a memorial softball game in Nyssa on Tuesday, April 15, on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of a Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. The second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people attended a memorial softball game in Nyssa on Tuesday, April 15, on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of a Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. The second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nearly 100 people attended a memorial softball game in Nyssa on Tuesday, April 15, on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of a Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. The second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
A young JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser participant rounds the bases on Tuesday, April 15. The softball game is held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Those who attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15, had a great time. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Those who attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15, had a great time. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Those who attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15, had fun. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise) Nearly 100 people attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Almost 100 people attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nyssa Police Department Chief Don Ballou tries to beat out a throw on Tuesday, April 15, during the first annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser in Nyssa. The annual softball game, which fell on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nyssa Police Department Chief Don Ballou jumps on home plate to score a run on Tuesday, April 15, during the first annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser in Nyssa. The annual softball game, which fell on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people attended a memorial softball game in Nyssa on Tuesday, April 15, on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of a Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson. The second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15. The event, held on the anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15, in remembrance of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson, who was gunned down in 2023. The event raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Members of the Oregon Department of Corrections remembered Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson on Tuesday, April 15, ahead of the second annual JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser. Johnson, who was also a corrections officer at Snake River Correctional Institution, was tragically gunned down in 2023. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)A banner hangs above the backstop bearing a photo of fallen Nyssa reserve officer Joe Johnson, who was gunned down in 2023. The JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)The organizers of the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser, held on Tuesday, April 15, raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people came out on the second anniversary of the tragic shooting of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson raised scholarship money for local students in a softball fundraiser. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)Nearly 100 people attended the JJ Memorial Softball Fundraiser on Tuesday, April 15, in remembrance of Nyssa reserve Cpl. Joe Johnson, who was gunned down in 2023. The event raised scholarship money for local students. (ANGIE SILLONIS/For the Enterprise)
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